Community Engagement

Community Field Days

Cactus Warrior volunteers at work.

The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group holds a regular field day on the last Sunday of each month between May and October. Our aim is to demonstrate the most effective techniques used to kill Wheel Cactus plants to local property owners and interested volunteers. Plus we provide advice, equipment loans and physical help to increase awareness and control of the Wheel Cactus invasion.
We meet at a different location each month where there is a particularly bad infestation and spend a couple of hours killing plants before sharing an enjoyable BBQ lunch, chat, hot cuppa and cake. The field days begin at 10:30 am and usually finish about 1:00 pm.
TCCG welcomes all folk needing help to kill Wheel Cactus and anyone interested in sharing a rewarding morning in the outdoors to help eradicate this weed from our beautiful countryside.
These Community Field Days have been funded by Community grants received from the Mt. Alexander Shire Council and Landcare grants from the North Central Catchment Management Authority.

The Maldon Easter Fair is held each year and on Easter Monday, the township of Maldon has a grand procession along its main streets. The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group takes this opportunity to promote our existence, increase awareness of the local Wheel Cactus problem and, hopefully, inspire more people to join our group and help us to eradicate the weed.

In the 2012 parade we enacted a demonstration against Wheel Cactus, waving many witty placards denouncing the existence of the weed and showing what a varied range of people from the community is opposed to this noxious weed.

Invitation to join TCCG

Protesting against the Wheel Cactus invasion.

In the 2013 parade we were dressed in ‘warrior’ uniform and marched as a united army against the ‘opposition’ weed.

Cactus Warriors wage war,

Cactus Warriors marching 2013

For the Easter Parade in April 2014, we joined with other local Landcare groups to highlight the negative effects that feral pests, both plant and animal, have on our environment. We were rewarded for our excellent ‘float’ with First prize for ‘Best Community Entry’.

Lots of weeds and feral animals

Feral float in the parade.

For the Easter street parade in 2015, the cactus warrior volunteers dressed up as wheel cactus plants. They looked so good they won 1st prize for the ‘Best Community Group’ entry, again.

Award winning wheel cactus costumes.

Easter 2016 saw the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group celebrating its 10th birthday. Cactus Warriors paraded in party costume with their parade-sized birthday cake. They won a well-deserved First Prize for the ‘Best Community Entry’, again!

Let’s party and celebrate TCCG’s 10th anniversary.

For the Maldon Easter Parade in 2017, the Cactus Warriors changed their uniform to become Mexicans, to highlight the fact that Wheel Cactus belongs back in Mexico and is not welcome here in Australia.

Cactus Warrior Amigos

Wheel Cactus belongs in Mexico

In the 2018 Easter Parade, we collaborated with the students at the Maldon Primary School and made a giant black crow (Australian Raven) to let everyone know that this is the main culprit for spreading the Wheel Cactus seeds. And again, we won the ‘Best Community Entry’ prize!!

Black crows spread Wheel Cactus seeds.

Maldon & Baringhup Agricultural Show

The annual Maldon and Baringhup Agricultural Show is held in October at the Maldon Show Grounds. This provides the opportunity to increase public awareness of the extent of the Wheel cactus problem in our local area. We hold an information stall with information brochures about the weed, demonstrations and examples of the most effective killing tools and members explain how our group can help property owners to eradicate the weed from their land.